Cheese please!

DUMFRIES and Galloway is simply mad for cheese, with the average family locally spending £40 on cheese each festive season.

Research reveals Dumfries and Galloway’s 2018 yuletide cheeseboard was almost entirely made up of British cheeses, with much loved Cheddar coming out on top.

The findings from Arla, the UK’s largest cheese producer, who have a Lockerbie base, show just how proud the nation is of UK-made fare, with 68 per cent of people saying that British cheese producers are better than French neighbours.

The dairy co-operative, which includes 2400 British dairy farmers amongst its owners, sold over 7000 tonnes of cheddar through UK retailers last December.

The survey of 2000 consumers also found that Dumfries and Galloway spend an average of £39 on cheesy festive fare and eight out of ten cheeses on the all-important cheeseboard will be British this year.

Arla owner David Hyslop is a Lockerbie farmer with 370 dairy cows.

He said: “Christmas Day is like any other day for dairy farmers. The cows still need milking, feeding and the farm looking after so we can make sure we’re meeting the demand there is for British made cheddar all year round.

I’m very proud to be one of Arla’s farmer owners, making milk that goes into some of the nation’s most-loved cheeses.

“As we’re always striving to make great quality, affordable produce, it’s a great feeling to know we’ve played a part in the milk and cheese products that make Christmas dinners taste amazing.”

cheese

Get the full story in the Annandale Observer
Next issue published Friday 31st May 2019.